Help, first time incubating...THANKS!

[Lalegid]

Congratulations on your hatch! Sounds like it is going well. I worry about the chicks stumbling all over the eggs too, they are so uncoordinated! Lol. I've taken to doing a quick snatch of the chick and putting it in the brooder.

 

[IdasChickens]

You're welcome   We've all been first-timers once, I know how stressful it can be when you are so anxious for the hatch to go well. It sounds like yours is progessing VERY nicely now? I have a feeling I'm going to check in here tomorrow morning to an ecstatic report of lots of chicks hatched!

I'm hatching some not-pure RIR's eggs at the moment. After the first hatch they got demoted to "hatchery RIR" and after the second one they got close to mutts LOL I got the parents' eggs as "red chickens" from someone. They are lovely birds and they lay well, so no complaints 

They sound like nice chicks! Mine are mutts too...Well, except for the one egg I got right from my BR. So, at least one BR. Hatchery stock, though different lines. My hens have been great layers and my roo is nice and meaty, so I'm hoping the chicks will be good dual purpose too.

As for the progression here...we had another hatch! And I got a decent video that I might be able to post later.

Have to go the vet though, right now. So, I'm going to have to wait....

I'll keep updating!

 

[IdasChickens]

Congratulations on your hatch! Sounds like it is going well. I worry about the chicks stumbling all over the eggs too, they are so uncoordinated! Lol. I've taken to doing a quick snatch of the chick and putting it in the brooder.

Thanks, Lalegid! Just had another one pop out, too! Here we go again....

 

[sumi]

I'd love to work with pure breeds, but had to make do with what I found locally and mutts it was 95% of the time. As long as they are friendly and lay well, I'm happy.

Aww, that's wonderful! I hope they continue hatching well for you. Just out of interest: my pippy started zipping finally, 14 hours after I took the egg from the nest and I don't know how long before that, the pip happened. Just to give you an example. I'm expecting it will be out within an hour now. It's making good progress.

ETA: it hatched about 10 minutes after I send this.

 

[IdasChickens]

Another hatched as I was on my way out....And it has already detached itself from the shell. It looks like it is bleeding a little from the cord. Should I be concerned?

...another just hatched as I'm typing this! It's like dominoes!! This is SO cool!

Also, so cool on your chick, Sumi! Congrats on the hatch! Guess it never hurts to try...that's why I decided to leave all mine in

 

[Lalegid]

Sounds like it's all go at your place! Can't wait to see pics of yours

You can dab a bit of corn starch on the bleeding spot and it should settle down. Unless it's bleeding a lot and then I don't know what you would do sorry!

 

[IdasChickens]

Sounds like it's all go at your place! Can't wait to see pics of yours

You can dab a bit of corn starch on the bleeding spot and it should settle down. Unless it's bleeding a lot and then I don't know what you would do sorry! 

Just got back...the bleeding seems to have stopped, so, yeah! Also, another chick arrived while I was gone!

Here are the stats:

I set 10 eggs.

Of the 10, 9 have pipped, and 4 of those have hatched completely...

Lots of activity still going on. Sitting tight now, just waiting for more to hatch.

I also discovered that technically, today is our 21st day (I was counting from the moment I set them, not from the 24hr mark after I set them.) So, right on time!

Thanks again for the support, everyone. I would probably have goofed it up at this point if it weren't for all the great feedback!

Pics coming as soon as they are settled and dry

 

[IdasChickens]

Five! And they all look like little barred rocks!!

 

[sumi]

What a wonderful update

I hope by the time you get up the total count will be 9 chicks, which will be a fantastic result considering this is your first hatch! You beat my hen, she got 7 chicks from 11 eggs with a little help from me.

How is the one with the bleeding navel doing now? The cornstarch was a good suggestion and what I also sometimes do, once the bleeding stopped, is to dab a tiny bit of antiseptic cream on the navel, to prevent infection. Just remember to never use antiseptic cream, or antibiotic cream containing painkillers on chickens. It's not good for them.

Looking forward to pics of the little bits

 

[IdasChickens]

Still no pics yet...still drying. And my camera isn't good enough to take a low light pic, not one that will do them justice, anyway. AND, let me be the first to say....they are not the cutest chickens I have ever seen!

Faces only a mother could love!

Actually, it is super hard not to fall in love with them. They are so calm...it seems, much calmer than any of the other birds we have ever received. I assume this is normal, since they do not have the stresses from shipping.

Here is the count:

EIGHT chicks!!!

I have five in the brooder right now. I HAD to take a couple out last night. They were WAY too vigorous for a small hatching chick that still had not absorbed its yolk fully. I was afraid they were going to gore it! So, I upped the humidity in the house and bator again and went for a quick grab.

This morning; woke up to the small, newly hatched chick, all fluffed out...and two more!

I still have one egg, no pip....guessing it's a dud.

And sadly, I am pretty sure...another chick that had pipped some time the night before, has died. Since I have no reason to open the incubator back up (I don't think)..any time soon, I am still just going to wait on it. Haven't seen it move since early yesterday though, and I did catch another chick picking at the pip hole. The membrane appears to be yellowing also, and no further openings have been made. (Probably my fault from opening the incubator). I have learned for next time.....

That aside; Not bad for a little Styrofoam incubator!!

NOW, where can I get me some keet eggs?????